Imperial Bank of China

It was founded in Shanghai by Mr. Sheng Xuanhuai in 1897 successfully operating until 1913 when it was renamed to the Commercial Bank of China.

[4] Although offices were opened in Canton (Guangzhou) and Beijing (then Peking) the Imperial Bank of China never received the full support of central government and it became marginalised.

The Chinese official Sheng Xuanhuai, who was a patron of the bank, adopted the internal regulations of HSBC, and its senior managers were foreign professionals.

Balance sheet data of the Imperial Bank of China is fragmentary but it suggests that these guidelines on banknote issuance may not have been actively used after 1906.

[6][7][8] There is ample evidence to suggest that domestic Chinese financial institutions had lent a large number of capital to expatriate-run companies during the latter days of the Qing dynasty even when foreigner nationals were not among their main shareholders.